By the time he was called to Houston
court, Clifford Hall had paid his child support in full, including
$3,000 in backpay that was not withheld from his paychecks—a mistake caused by administrative error, according to Hall and his attorney.

"I discovered for some
reason his employer was withholding a large amount some weeks, a small
amount some weeks, [and] a zero amount some weeks," said Hall's
attorney, Tyesha Elam. "I didn't want to go to jail basically,"
Hall added, noting that he quickly repaid the $3,000.

But not quick enough for Judge Lisa
Millard, who ordered that Hall pay an additional $3,000 for his
ex-wife's attorney's fees. Then, noting that Hall hadn't followed the
court's schedule for picking up his children—a schedule Elam and
Hall said they did not know about—Millard sentenced Hall to six
months in jail.

"When she said I remand you to the
Harris County Jail for 180 days my mouth just dropped," said Hall, who was found in contempt of court after walking out upon
hearing the sentence. "I can't be there for my son in jail. I
can't pay child support in jail. This is not in the best interest of
the child."

Elam agreed. "I'm like he couldn't
have gotten a worse result," she told Fox 26 in Houston. "He could have
gone in there with a monkey and gotten a better result."

Hall will turn himself in in a few
days, but in the meantime, Elam is working on an appeal.